Barbecue pepper mill



Feb. 26, 1957 E, G. HAsTlNGs, JR

BARBECUE PEPPER MILL l Filed Aug. 14. 195s JNVENToR. E.. Gra/7% Has/'ngsg @JM erro/ave v5 United States Patent BARBECUE PEPPER MILL Earle G. Hastings, Jr., Tulsa, Okla.

Application August 14, 1953, Serial No. 374,404

2 Claims. '(Cl. 2411-168) `This invention relates 4generally to devices for applyingk seasoning and condiments to foodstuis, and more particularly to mills such as are used to crush or grind pepper and like material.

Conventional condiment mills are .awkward to use when cooking over an open lire, in anoven, or even on `the back burner of a stove with all the burners being ased, without encountering the danger of burning ones self. This is especially true 4because they require two hands for their operation, one to hold the Istationary -body or barrel of the mill, and the other to rotate the grinding or crushing means.

In general, it is an object of the present invention to provide a seasoning device of the above character which can be readily and conveniently operated under the above mentioned conditions.

Another object of this invention is to provide a condiment mill having an extended handle and operating means to facilitate its use over open lires and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide :a seasoning device of this kind with an interchangeable top whereby one of the tops adapts the seasoning device for table use, and the other for applying seasoning during cooking.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure l is an elevational view, partly in cross section of my seasoning device.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an elevational view, partly in cross section, of a modification of my device.

In general, the present invention consists of a rotary condiment -mill to which extended handle and drive means have been applied to facilitate the application of seasonlng.

The embodiment of my device shown in the drawing consists of a body or barrel which forms a mounting for the grinding assembly and its operating means.

Any suitable grinding assembly may be used and one found to be satisfactory consists of a grinding cone 11 which coacts with a grinding ring 12 mounted in the bore 13 in the lower portion of the barrel 10. A perforated member 14 is :attached to the barrel 10 by suitable means such as screws 21 and retains the grinding cone 11 within the grinding ring 12. A chamber 17 adapted to contain seasoning is provided within the barrel 10 and is located above the grinding assembly. A square shaft 18 is attached to the grinding cone 11 and extends axially of the barrel 10 through the chamber 17.

The operating means for the grinding assembly is attached to the upper portion of the shaft 18 and includes a miter gear 19 slidably mounted on the square shaft 18,

rand a second miter gear 21 engaging the rst gear 19.

Any suitable means can be used for supporting the miter gear 19. One supporting means found to be sat- Patented Feb. 26, 1957 isfactory consists of a base plate 22 which has a counterbored portion 23 adapted to hold the miter gear 19. The base plate 22, which is permanently pressed into the top shell 41, is ,detachably secured to :a retaining ring 24 as by means of a threaded connection 26. The retaining ring 24 is recessed in the upper portion of the barrel 10 and can be attached to the barrel 10 by any suitable means such as pins 27. This construction allows the barrel assembly to -be removed from the top and handle assembly without disturbing or disengalging the miter gears 19 and 21.

The second miter gear 21 may be driven by any suitable extended Hdrive assembly. One ,assembly found to be satisfactory consists of a shaft 31 extending laterally from the shaft 18. One ,end of 'the shaft 31 Vis xed to miter gear 21 and the other end is provided with a suitable operating device, such as a knob 32. This knob is shown mounted on the shaft 31 by a knob seating bushing 33 and nut 34.

A suitable housing for the operating assembly is secured to the base plate 22. The housing consists of a cap 41 lwhich is fixed to the base plate 22. A member 42 forms an extended handle and preferably is in the form of a tube which encloses the shaft 31. One end of this tube is secured to the cap 41 as by means of the threaded connection 43. The shaft 31 is suitably journalled in the tubular member 42 as by means of bushings 44.

If desired, a cap nut 46 may be provided for adjusting the position of the grinding cone 11 with respect to the grinding ring 12 to determine the coarseness or the neness of the grind. The cap nut 46 is threaded on the upper portion of the shaft 17 and engages the cap 41 to raise or lower the grinding cone.

Operation of the device may be briey described as follows: Let it be assumed that the device has been filled by removing the cap assembly and filling the chamber 17 with :a condiment such as pepper corns 47. The grinding assembly is then placed over the foodstuffs to be seasoned and the corns are ground by turning the knob 32. The coarseness or the iineness of the grind can be adjusted by loosening or tightening the cap nut 46.

lt will be apparent that this device can be used with the hands in a remote position where they are not subjected to uncomfortable or dangerous heating.

I have added to the utility of my device by providing an interchangeable cap assembly whereby the device can be converted for table use. The cap assembly for table use is shown in Figure 3 attached to the grinding assembly shown in Figure l. This cap assembly is comprised of a cap52 which is the same physical size as the cap used for the assembly shown in Figure l. A base plate 53 with a hub 54 is pressed into the cap 52. The hub diameter is such that it will lit loosely within the threads in the retaining ring 24 so as not to damage them. A square hole 56 is provided in the base plate 53 for passage of the shaft 1S. Cap nut 46 holds the cap assembly onto the barrel 1G and also provides a means for varying the size of the grind.

Operation of the device is substantially similar to the operation of the device shown in Figure l. The grinding assembly is operated by turning the cap assembly itself as rotary motion is imparted to shaft 18 by the square hole S6 in base plate 53. The size of the grind is varied by tightening or loosening the cap nut 46.

The cap assemblies for table use and for barbecue use are made to be interchangeable and therefore the same grinding assembly may be used for either purpose. Changing from barbecue use to table use is a simple operation. Referring to Figure l, the cap nut 46 is iirst reice moved, then the threaded connection 26 is unscrewed by rotating the cap assembly which allows the cap assembly to be lifted from the barrel and off the shaft 18. The miter gears 19 and 21 still remain in their respective positions even though the miter gear 19 has been disasseciated from the shaft 18 because miter gear 19 is recessed in counterbored portion 23 and held there by miter gear 21. This assembly allows the cap assembly for barbecue use to be easily removed from the grinding assembly. Normally in a miter gear assembly, the miter gear 19 would be locked to the shaft 18 which would make removai difcult.

After the cap assembly for barbecue use has been removed, the cap assembly for table use is placed on the square shaft 18and the cap nut 46 is replaced. The mill is then ready for operation. To convert from table use to barbecue use, the procedure is reversed.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that I have pro vided a seasoning device which can be used when cooking over an open tire and the like. The device can also be used at the table merely be interchanging cap assemblies.

I claim:

1. In a seasoning device, a barrel, a bore in the llower portion of said barrel, a grinding ring mounted in said bore, a grinding cone rotatably mounted within said grinding ring, a shaft fixed to said grinding cone and extending axially of the barrel, a retaining ring mounted on the upper portion of said barrel, a base plate threadably `named shaft for rotating the same.

2. A device as in claim 1 together with means for ad justing the first named shaft longitudinally of the barrel to vary the size of the grind.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 432,905 Schoch July 22, 1890 909,286 Denny Jan, 12, 1909 1,221,640 Wilklund Apr. 3, 1917 2,479,151 Bostick Aug. 16, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 10,489 Germany Aug. 13, 1880 110,651 France Dec. 13, 1875 160,443 France Feb. 19, 1884 639,714 France Mar. 17, 1928 

